Measuring device for collapsible tubes



IEASURING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sent. 28 1921 &

\ I! I I f .II'IHA INVENTOR Patented July 22, 1924.

NITED STATES FRANK L. DYEB, OF MONTCL AIR, NEW JERSEY.

MEASURING DEVICE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUB ES.

Application filed September 28, 1921. Serial No. 503,718.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. DYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Measuring Device for CollapsibleTubes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to an im roved measuring device for collapsible tues, of the type disclosed in my application for patent filed January 8,1921, Serial No. 435,972, wherein a tubular body communicates with theinterior of the tube and is provided with a discharge opening and with aplunger movable with respect to the same, whereby when the tube issqueezed the pastelike material forced into the tubular body will movethe plunger longitudinally, while by reversing the movement of theplunger a measured quantity of the material will be ejected through thedischarge opening, suitable means being provided for uncovering andclosing said opening to permit the operations described to take place.

The objects of the present invention are to simplify the construction ofthe device, to improve its operation, and to make more easy theassembling of the parts in manufacture. A further object, in itspreferred form, is to provide a device in which the discharge openingwill be automatically closed when the desired amount of material isejected, thereby overcoming the necessity of doing this manually andassuring the normal closure of the discharge opening to prevent thematerial from drying or caking within the same.

The device may be in the form of a separate attachment to be removablysecured to the neck of a collapsible tube, as described in my saidapplication, or it may be manufactured as a part of such tube. By reasonof its reat cheapness and ease of assem bling, t e extra cost'ofmanufacturing tubes equipped with my improved device is slight, since Ido away entirely with the present screw cap and the necessary threadingoperations on the neck and cap.

In order that the invention may be better understood, attention isdirected to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section throu h the upper or neck-end of acollapslble tu e with the present improvements thereon,

Fig. 4, a detail view showing the dis- I charge opening, slot and stopas in Fig. 1, but illustrating the inclining of the upper edge of theslot to automatically close the 'discharge opening.

In the above views, corresponding parts are represented by the samenumerals.

The collapsible tube 1, is of usual con-- struction, the paste-likematerial being introduced within its open lower end which is then closedand sealed. The neck 2 constitutes the tubular body of the measuringdevice, and is formed as a part of the tube. This neck is longer thanusual and is preferably larger in diameter, these dimensions dependingupon the amount of material to be discharged for each use. It isprovidedwith a discharge opening 3, of desired size and form.

Fitted within the tubular body 2 is a plunger 4. in the form of a sleevewith a closed upper end and an open lower end, the upper end beingbeaded at 5 and extending slightly 'beyond the tubular body so as topermit the plunger 4 to be given a turning movement within the tubularbody. To facilitate this, the bead 5 is preferably knurled as shown.

The sleeve or plunger 4 is formed with a slot 6 which may uncover theopening 3 during the reverse or discharge stroke of the plunger, whileby slightly rotating the plunger the slot 6 will be moved out of linewith the opening and the latter will be closed as during the upwardstroke of the plunger and when the tube is not in use.

To limit the partial rotary movement of the plunger I provide a stop 7in the bore of the tubular body, which stop is engaged by one or theother longitudinal edge of the slot 6, according as the plunger is inposition to open (Fig. 2) or close (Fig. 3) tl 1e discharge opening 3.This stop also limits the upward or outward movement of the plunger,when the lower edge of the slot 6 engages the same, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1. It may also limit the downward or inward movement ofthe plunger by engagement with the upper edge of the slot, or thismovement may be limited by engagement between the bead 5 and the edge ofthe tubular body.

The sleeve or plunger 4 is formed preferably of very thin sheet brass orcopper, or other resilient and ductile metal, by drawing or stamping,the slot 6 being cut therein y a suitable die. By using thin resilientmetal. it will make a tight fit with the tubular body, the slot 6permitting the sleeve or plunger to slightly expand into close contactwith the bore of the tubular body under the eifect of the pressure ofthe paste-like material. At the same time, the use of resilient metalpermits the plunger to be assembled after the stop 7 is formed in thetubular body, since by pressing the plunger inwards the lower edge ofthe slot 6 will ride over the stop 7 and snap beneath the same.

The sto 7 may be a separate small pin passing t rough the wall of thetubular body, as in Fig. 3, but it is formed preferably as in Fig.2, bydepressing the metal of the tubular body by a sharp tool, thus formingthe stop as a projection or protuberance in the metal.

In the preferred form (Fig. 4) I make the slot 6 with an inclined upperedge 8 which engages the stop 7 near the end of the inner stroke of theplunger, and automatically turns the same to close the dischargeopening, as will be understood. This arrangement is especially desirablewith largesized tubes; for small-sized tubes it may not be desirable onaccount of the limited size of the parts.

If desired, the upper edge of the slot 6 may be formed with a smallnotch 9 (see Fig. 4), which receives the stop 7 when the plunger isforced all the way inwards and prevents the accidental turning of theplunger to uncover the opening 3 when the tube is out of use.

Obviously the portion of the plunger above the slot 6 is a dead-end; anymaterial entering the plunger above the slot is not ejected. Thisportion of the plunger may be allowed to fill with the paste-likematerial wh ch may harden or cake therein, or, if desired, the plunger,beforeassembling, may be filled above the slot with a suitable materialsuch as soap or a plastic composition, thus preventing the accumulationand oaking of the paste-like material within the plunger.

In operation, the plunger 4: will be in the 1nner ositionJshown in fulllines Fig. 1, but w1l be rotated to carry the slot 6 out of line withthe openmg' 3, as in Fi 3. The dischar e open ng 3 will thereby 1 closedand will stay closed so long as the plunger 4. is moved outwards withoutbeing rotated to uncover the discharge opening. The tube 1 is nowsqueezed and the paste-like material is forced into the plunger 4 whichis thus moved outwards until arrested by the slot 7 engaging the inneror bottom edge of the slot 6. The plunger is now partially rotated, asin Fig. 2, to bring the slot in line with the opening 3, and is thenforced inwards, causing the paste-like material to be ejected throughthe opening 3. \Vhen the plun er 1 reaches its innermost position, as infull lines in Fig. 1, itis then turned to carry the slot 6 out of linewith, and again close, the opening, when the operation as described maybe re eated. With the modification shown in ig. 4, this final turning ofthe plunger to close the discharge opening will be performedautomatically; near the end of its inward movement, the inclined edge 8of the slot will engage the slot pin 7, so that the further inwardmovement of the plunger will cause the same to be rotated automatically,the notch 9 engaging the slotpin 7, when the plunger is all the way inand preventing the same from being turned accidentally to uncover thedischarge opening and also keeping the discharge opening closed toprevent the material from drying and caking.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible tube formed with an integral tubular body having .adischarge opening therein, means for uncovering and closing said openingincluding a plunger movable slidably and rotatably with respect to saidtubular body, whereby material forced from the tube by collapsing thelatter will move the plunger outwards and a reverse movement of theplunger will eject a measured quantity of material through said opening,substantially as set forth.

2. A measuring device for collapsible tubes, comprising a tubular bodyinto which is forced material from the tube, a discharge opening in thewall of the tubular body, and a sleeve-like plunger rotatably andslidably mounted in the tubular body and formed with a slot adapted tobe brought into and out of line with said opening, substantially as setforth.

"M s A 3. A measuring device for collapsible.

tubes, comprising a tubular body into which is forced material from thetube, a discharge opening in the wall of the tubular body, a sleeve-likeplunger rotatably and slidably mounted in the tubular body and formedwith a slot adapted to be brought into and out of line with said openinand a stop with which the side edges of t e slot engage to limit therotatable movement of the plunge'r, substantially as set forth.

4. A measuring device for collapsible tubes, comprising a tubular bodyinto which is forced material from the tube, a discharge opening in; thewall of the tubular body, a sleeve-like plunger rotatably and slidablymounted in the tubular body and formed with a slot ada ted to be broughtinto and out of line wit said opening, and a stop with which the sideedges of the slot engage to limit the rotatable movement of the plungerand with which the lower edge of the slot engages to limit the outwardslidable movement of the plunger, substantially as set forth.

5. A measuring device for collapsible tubes, comprising a tubular bodyinto which is forced material from the tube, and a sleeve-like plungerrotatably and slidably mounted with respect to the tubular body, one ofsaid elements being formed with a dischar e opening and the other with aslot adapte to be brought into and out of line with said opening whenthe plunger is moved rotatably, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a tubular body into which paste-like material isforced from a collapsible tube and formed with a discharge opening inits wall, a resilient sleeve-like plunger in said body having arotatable movement therein, and formed with a cut-out portion close toits edge and adapted to be brought into and out of line with the dischare opening, and a stop on the bore of the tu ular body, over which thelower edge of the cut-out portion is forced with a snap action to bringthe stop within the cut-out portion and limit the retatable movement ofthe plunger, substantially as set forth.

measuring device for collapsible tubes, comprising a tubular body intowhich is forced material from the tube, a sleevelike plunger rotatablyand slidably mounted with respect to the tubular body, one of saidelements being formed with a discharge opening and the other with a slotadapted to be brought into and out of line with said opening when theplunger is moved rotatatably, and means for giving to said plunger arotatable movement when it is moved slidably, substantially as setforth.

8. A measuring device for collapsible tubes, comprising a tubular bodyinto which is forced material from the tube, a discharge opening in thewall of the tube, a projection from the bore of the tubular body, and asleeve-like plunger rotatably and slidaioly mounted in the tubular bodyand formed with a slot adapted to be brought into and out of line withsaid opening and with an inclined edge which cooperates with saidprojection to rotatably move the plunger when it is moved slidably,substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a tubular body into which paste-like material isforced from a collapsible tube and formed with a discharge opening inits wall, a sleeve-like plunger in said body having a rotatable movementtherein and formed with a cut-out portion adapted to be brought into andout of line with the discharge opening, said outout portion being formedwith a notch in its upper edge, and a stop on the bore of the tubularbody and engaging wi hin the outout portion to limit the rotatablemovement of the sleeve and engaging said notch to lock the plungeragainst rotatable movement, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23rd day of September,1921.

FRANK L. DYER.

Witnesses:

MAY J omas, CELI'A O. WIPPMAN.

